Mine explanation denied to environment group

TASMANIA'S environment watchdog refused to give an environment group written details of reasons for letting a Circular Head mine increase potentially acid-producing waste rock by 20 times.

TASMANIA'S environment watchdog refused to give an environment group written details of reasons for letting a Circular Head mine increase potentially acid-producing waste rock by 20 times.

The Environment Protection Authority argued that Save the Tarkine was not entitled to such a statement, under state law.

Yet the Federal Court treated the group as a party in proceedings that led to Shree Minerals' original environmental approval being overturned.

"The question of our standing is, in our view, already resolved," STT campaign co-ordinator Scott Jordan said during the week.

In a letter to Mr Jordan in December, EPA director Alex Schaap argued that the group was not entitled to request a statement of reasons for the EPA granting Shree an environment protection notice allowing the increase in waste rock at its iron ore mine.

Mr Schaap wrote that he did not believe the group was "a person aggrieved by my decision and therefore entitled to make an application to the Supreme Court of Tasmania" about that decision.

He cited a section of the Judicial Review Act.

Mr Schaap during the week said he advised Mr Jordan of the issue of the APN at the time of its issue, as a courtesy, and explained the reasons.

"The issue of the (EPN) was a routine and appropriate regulatory response to new information about the amount of waste rock encountered in further exploration," he said.

"The revised arrangements will impose greater waste rock management costs upon the operator than originally envisaged, as the waste rock will need to be moved twice, but it does allow the mine to operate more efficiently and with less land disturbance.

"The temporary storage will not result in a greater risk to the environment and there is no public health risk."